Channel equalization is known to be a powerful technique to reduce intersymbol interferences (ISI) caused by multipath propagation phenomenons as well as amplitude or phase distortions. For several years, the use of equalizers led to high numerical complexity filters. However the evolution of microelectronics offers today the possibility to design much more complex equalizers at a relatively low cost in terms of power or silicon surface consumption.
High quality filters are needed for wireless communication systems which are used over a wide range of link configurations. In these communication systems, channel equalization consists of an adaptive filtering algorithm.
Unfortunately, choosing the optimal filtering structure depends on channel characteristics that are often unknown a priori and time varying. Even if channel characteristics are known or estimated, it is very difficult to select the optimal equalizer and to predict the converging properties or the channel tracking capabilities of any equalizer.
There is a need for a method and apparatus that will overcome the above-identified drawbacks.